Chapter 50: The New Year's Eve Dinner

"My tiles are not bad at all, One Bamboo!" He Yushui casually discarded a rather useless tile.

Immediately afterward, Deaf Old Lady slapped her tiles down onto the table with a crisp snap, and said with a beaming smile, "Going out!"

First Uncle and First Aunt hurriedly reached into their pockets to pay out the money to Deaf Old Lady. He Yushui pouted her little lips in mild dissatisfaction and said, "Granny, you really know how to pick up the scraps, winning with such a tiny hand."

Upon hearing this, Deaf Old Lady widened her eyes and said in mock seriousness, "A win is a win. When money is being won, who cares about the size of the hand?"

"How can you not care? Thanks to you, Granny, I didn't lose quite as much!" He Yushui chattered as she pulled money from her own pocket to hand over to Deaf Old Lady.

Deaf Old Lady took it and carefully tucked it away inside the handkerchief she always carried with her.

Watching Deaf Old Lady's cautious and deliberate actions, the other three couldn't help but chuckle.

He Yuzhu in the kitchen was not holding back either, serving up one exquisite delicacy after another onto the dining table.

Inside the room, the rich aroma of food permeated the air, making everyone's mouths water uncontrollably.

Even the enthusiasm for the card game among Deaf Old Lady and the others was largely diluted by this intoxicating fragrance.

Finally, He Yuzhu shouted loudly from the kitchen, "Stop playing cards, come and get your New Year's Eve dinner!"

At this single shout, everyone immediately put down their tiles and hurried to their assigned spots.

Five people sat gathered around a round table, instantly making the room feel significantly more lively.

Although the space appeared a bit cramped, it only served to make the gathering feel cozier and heightened the festive atmosphere.

The table was laden with a wide variety of dishes, each one boasting exceptional color, aroma, and taste.

There were the Four Joy Meatballs, round and plump, symbolizing a continuous stream of auspicious events in the coming year; the Braised Pork Belly, rich and savory yet not greasy, melting the moment it touched the tongue; Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, perfectly balanced in sweet and sour flavors, leaving a lingering aftertaste; Mapo Tofu, numbingly spicy and intensely fragrant, wonderfully appetizing; and Stir-Fried Pig's Liver, delicate in texture and rich in savory depth.

He Yuzhu had meticulously prepared this entire spread according to everyone's personal preferences, ensuring that every single person would leave completely satisfied.

Though everyone was practically salivating over these culinary masterpieces, they were, after all, adults capable of exercising restraint and adhering to proper manners. Not a single person dared to make the first move with their chopsticks; instead, everyone waited quietly for Deaf Old Lady to speak.

"Look at this old woman of mine, pulling rank on account of my age to make the first toast." Deaf Old Lady picked up her cup with a slight tremble. Seeing this, the others quickly raised their own small wine glasses, deliberately holding their cups slightly lower than Deaf Old Lady's as a sign of respect.

"Ah, this past year, truly far too many things have happened—some good, some bad. But regardless of what they were, they are already in the past now, and we won't dwell on them. In this brand-new year, my only wish is for all of us to remain safe and sound, and to live in peace and stability. That, to me, is the greatest blessing of all." As Deaf Old Lady spoke, her eyes shone with anticipation and heartfelt blessings.

"Come, come, let us clink our glasses together here, and wish that the new year brings smoothness and success to us all." With that, five wine glasses met with a crisp, delightful chime, sounding as though they were playing a beautiful melody to welcome the upcoming year.

"Zhuzi, this Mapo Tofu of yours is truly a masterpiece. Numbing, spicy, and fragrant all at once, it makes you want bite after bite without ever wanting to stop!" Deaf Old Lady picked up a piece of the tofu, savored it slowly, and showered the dish with praise.

"First Uncle, you really don't know how to enjoy yourself. Look at all these delicious meat dishes on the table, yet you deliberately ignore the meat and only pick at the tofu." He Yushui, watching First Uncle eat only tofu while ignoring the meat, couldn't help but chime in with a gentle persuasion.

"Yushui, you've got that all wrong. Tofu is an absolute treasure—soft, tender, and fragrant. This old woman right here is exceptionally fond of this exact flavor. Besides, eating tofu is healthy and can help prevent all sorts of ailments." Hearing He Yushui's remark, Deaf Old Lady quickly retorted, her face beaming with smug satisfaction.

First Uncle also smiled and nodded, saying, "Indeed, Yushui, you shouldn't underestimate this tofu. Though it looks entirely ordinary on the surface, its nutritional value is remarkably high. Furthermore, it can be paired with all kinds of ingredients to create countless wonderful dishes."

On the night of New Year's Eve, the moonlight fell like silver, cascading over the courtyard of an ancient Beijing residence.

Inside the house, several familiar faces were gathered around a round wooden table, enjoying a lavish New Year's Eve dinner, chatting about everyday neighborhood matters while warm smiles bloomed across their faces.

He Yuzhu's expression grew exceptionally tender as his gaze swept slowly across each person's face, a wave of indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

Especially when he looked at Deaf Old Lady—that silver-haired, wrinkled yet remarkably spirited elderly woman—squinting her eyes and grinning broadly as she gnawed on a braised pork knuckle, he couldn't help sighing inwardly: *Having an elder in the family is truly like having a priceless treasure; those words are absolute truth!*

If not for Deaf Old Lady, the spiritual pillar of this household, perhaps they wouldn't all be gathered here together on this special day to share in this rare moment of reunion.

However, just as everyone was immersed in warmth and joy, a sudden burst of commotion shattered the tranquility.

"Granny, Banggen is here to wish you a Happy New Year!" A crisp, childlike voice rang out. Following that, the door was gently pushed open, and three children—Banggen, Xiaodang, and Huaihua—knelt properly on the floor, kowtowing and offering New Year greetings with synchronized movements, looking exceptionally well-behaved.

The adults were momentarily stunned by this sudden turn of events, failing to react for a few seconds.

Banggen, clever lad that he was, looked up and realized there were several other elders present in the room, so he quickly banged out a few more loud kowtows on the floor. The crisp *thud-thud-thud* sounds were loud enough to make people frown, and even Deaf Old Lady couldn't help rubbing her temples with a wry smile.

"Banggen, get up quickly, Granny's heart aches just looking at you." Deaf Old Lady took two trembling steps forward, intending to help Banggen up, but before she could reach him, Banggen hurriedly waved his hand and said with a deadpan, earnest expression, "Granny, I'm going to stay kneeling right here. If you don't reward me with a red envelope, I'm just going to keep kneeling and refuse to get up." Banggen's words left Deaf Old Lady frozen in place, a flash of astonishment crossing her weathered eyes.

The others around, including He Yushui, First Uncle, and First Aunt, all experienced a sudden skipping beat in their chests due to Banggen's unexpected stunt, their thoughts momentarily brought to a standstill.

Then, as if a switch for her amusement had been triggered, He Yushui clutched her stomach and burst into laughter, her clear, bright laughter echoing throughout the room.

First Uncle and First Aunt exchanged glances, their eyes filled with deep affection and helpless amusement as they looked at the three siblings, their expressions a mix of doting fondness and utter bewilderment.